Fresh from part one of our comprehensive racing review of the 2007 V8 Supercar Championship,
Crash.net's Matthew Agius evaluates the performances of the drivers in the series.
Toll HSV Dealer Team
Team's Championship: 1st (no change)
Victories: Bigpond 400 - Barbagallo, PlaceMakers V8 Supercars NZ, Queensland Raceway, V8 Supercar Challenge - Gold Coast, Dunlop Grand Finale - Phillip Island.
Car #1 – VE Commodore – Rick Kelly (VIC)
Championship position: 4th (-4)
Round wins: 1
Race wins: 2
Podiums: 6
Top three race finishes: 15
Pole positions: 2
After winning the 2006 V8 Supercar Championship without claiming a round win, much expectation was heaped on Rick Kelly to successfully defend his title. However the double Bathurst champion successfully delivered results, and whilst unable to win the 2007 series, certainly proved his detractors wrong.
Kelly was consistently at the front of the racing pack – finishing fifteen out of thirty seven races inside the top three. He finished on the podium six times and also claimed a round win at Pukekohe in New Zealand.
With team mate Garth Tander leaving for the Holden Racing Team in 2008, Kelly now has the mantle of being number one at the Toll HSV Dealer Team. Paired with Paul Dumbrell, he will be looking to reclaim the number one plate. Given his consistency in 2007, that is certainly possible.
Rick Kelly 2007 report card: A-
Car #16 – VE Commodore – Garth Tander (WA)
Championship position: 1st (+4)
Round wins: 4
Race wins: 15
Podiums: 2
Top three race finishes: 4
Pole positions: 4
